How to Talk to the Doctor About Your Elderly Parent or Spouse
A frequent problem expressed among family caregivers is that their aging loved ones aren’t honest with their doctors. At home, they may gripe about...
Brain Health
What to Do When a Senior Refuses to Bathe and Change Their Clothes
The responsibility of providing care for an aging or ill loved one is a monumental challenge in its own right. But when a care...
Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression
The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized that while...
5 Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy While Caregiving
Many of us cope with the stress of caring for someone who has dementia. We agonize over the increasing losses that our loved one...
What Is Parentification and How Does It Relate to Role Reversal?
I was pleased to see one on my articles referenced in this excellent piece about the relationship between aging parents and their adult children...
When You Witness Cognitive Decline, Step in with Respect
Dear Carol: My mom and I have always had a good relationship, and I’ve admired her sharp brain and great humor. She was a...
Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization
In the expected course of treatment, people are hospitalized because they are ill. Then, barring a terminal condition, they are released because they are...
How to Engage in Self-Care While Grieving
Many caregivers watch their loved ones endure a long, slow decline that will eventually end in death. As they age, we grieve every mental...
Journaling for Caregivers: Rediscover Yourself and Reclaim Your Life
At some point during your caregiving journey, you may find yourself in a rut. The awareness may come with a birthday, a change in...
Cognitive Decline After Illness Common, but Check Medications, Too
Dear Carol: Until about six months ago, my mom, 93, was as cognitively sharp as ever. Unfortunately, she was hospitalized for several days for...
